Earnest said Carson should not be surprised that he’s being peppered with tough questions about his background now that he has risen to the top of the GOP primary polls.

“It isn’t easy to run for president,” Earnest said. “People who run for office are going to have their claims scrutinized.”

Carson has lashed out at the media in recent days, after reports cast doubt on elements of his extraordinary life story, accusing members of the press of conducting a “witch hunt” against him.

A Politico report claimed Carson fabricated a story from his youth about being offered a full scholarship to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Another report from CNN questioned whether the candidate embellished tales of his violent childhood in Detroit.

The GOP candidate said the media is displaying a double standard, arguing that news outlets in 2008 had little interest in Obama’s relationships with figures like Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., and left-wing radical activist Bill Ayers.